Britain is PC mad?
Discussion
apologies to those of a senstaive disposition, it's from [url]the guardian|http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1490623,00.html[/url]
[quote=Marcus Brigstocke]PC exists to balance out the bigots
Britain is obsessed with political correctness. Now, before you nod enthusiastically in agreement and start dusting off the hilarious rubber gollywog hidden away in your loft, I'm not referring to the necessary and useful corrections to prejudice that have been made in the name of PC over the years. What I mean is: Britain is obsessed with the idea that PC is a conspiracy, a hurricane of embittered, lefty oppression determined to strip us all of the right to speak as we find. It has resulted in a terrible, cultural black hole in which only Marks Thomas and Steele are funny, goes the argument, and to make up for decades of imperialism, all white Britons should leap over the cliffsof Dover in a futile but poignant lemming-style suicide/apology.
Article continues
And yet, not everything that happens to us that we don't like is because political correctness has gone mad. Some of it is because things need changing. Brace yourself - but some of the old ideas that we call "traditions" are rubbish. The clearer, better, computer-generated BBC weather reports are not a PC trick. Neither is the fact that both Julian Clary and Graham Norton are on BBC1 on the same night (it's a mistake, but PC it ain't). Some gays and Asians and Muslims and disabled people pay the licence fee too, so would the straight, white, able-bodied, Christian, PC-phobic majority just shut up for a bit? (Don't worry, another ethnically cleansed Only Fools and Horses or EastEnders will be along in moment or two.)
Accusations of politically correct thought control have become a pathetic and transparent excuse for lazy racists, sexists and Islamophobes the land over. Challenging PC has become a game of chicken for bigots - daring each other to run out into the busy PC motorway and say something stupid before dashing back for cover. Who will dare to go the furthest without actually invading Poland? The Tories? Ukip? The Daily Mail? An excellent comic by the name of Chris Addison has said, "You can tell people who read the Daily Mail because they follow every stupid thing they say with the phrase '... but I suppose that's not politically correct', and think that makes it OK to say whatever they want."
Thus the Mail's coverage yesterday of the war crimes trial of the British army Colonel Jorge Mendonca suggested that he has been "dragged into a politically correct witchhunt". Tssk. Typical of the PC brigade - one Iraqi man gets beaten to death and they are down on you like a ton of righteous liberal bricks! The chap wasn't even English! (I should point out that Mendonca was allegedly only in charge of a group of British soldiers who beat a civilian to death, he didn't actually beat a civilian to death himself.)
The magazine the Week has a column called PC Watch, which this week bemoans the fact that the National Trust has stopped allowing children to collect eggs and feed goats at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire, in case they pick up germs. That's not PC, that's parasitic "no win, no fee" litigation companies continuing to put a price on every stubbed toe, achy neck or wet fart they can get their hands on. It's greedy insurance companies hiking the premiums every time the lawyers get a win and a fee.
Political correctness is as exploitable as any other progressive ideal, but its aim is to stifle the incessant noise of those who flap their careless lips without a thought about those they might offend and why that might be important. PC exists to balance out the loudest voices, who assume that the things they are used to are somehow sacred or (God forbid) "traditional", just because no one's had the sense or the balls to change them. [/quote]
sounds about right to me
[quote=Marcus Brigstocke]PC exists to balance out the bigots
Britain is obsessed with political correctness. Now, before you nod enthusiastically in agreement and start dusting off the hilarious rubber gollywog hidden away in your loft, I'm not referring to the necessary and useful corrections to prejudice that have been made in the name of PC over the years. What I mean is: Britain is obsessed with the idea that PC is a conspiracy, a hurricane of embittered, lefty oppression determined to strip us all of the right to speak as we find. It has resulted in a terrible, cultural black hole in which only Marks Thomas and Steele are funny, goes the argument, and to make up for decades of imperialism, all white Britons should leap over the cliffsof Dover in a futile but poignant lemming-style suicide/apology.
Article continues
And yet, not everything that happens to us that we don't like is because political correctness has gone mad. Some of it is because things need changing. Brace yourself - but some of the old ideas that we call "traditions" are rubbish. The clearer, better, computer-generated BBC weather reports are not a PC trick. Neither is the fact that both Julian Clary and Graham Norton are on BBC1 on the same night (it's a mistake, but PC it ain't). Some gays and Asians and Muslims and disabled people pay the licence fee too, so would the straight, white, able-bodied, Christian, PC-phobic majority just shut up for a bit? (Don't worry, another ethnically cleansed Only Fools and Horses or EastEnders will be along in moment or two.)
Accusations of politically correct thought control have become a pathetic and transparent excuse for lazy racists, sexists and Islamophobes the land over. Challenging PC has become a game of chicken for bigots - daring each other to run out into the busy PC motorway and say something stupid before dashing back for cover. Who will dare to go the furthest without actually invading Poland? The Tories? Ukip? The Daily Mail? An excellent comic by the name of Chris Addison has said, "You can tell people who read the Daily Mail because they follow every stupid thing they say with the phrase '... but I suppose that's not politically correct', and think that makes it OK to say whatever they want."
Thus the Mail's coverage yesterday of the war crimes trial of the British army Colonel Jorge Mendonca suggested that he has been "dragged into a politically correct witchhunt". Tssk. Typical of the PC brigade - one Iraqi man gets beaten to death and they are down on you like a ton of righteous liberal bricks! The chap wasn't even English! (I should point out that Mendonca was allegedly only in charge of a group of British soldiers who beat a civilian to death, he didn't actually beat a civilian to death himself.)
The magazine the Week has a column called PC Watch, which this week bemoans the fact that the National Trust has stopped allowing children to collect eggs and feed goats at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire, in case they pick up germs. That's not PC, that's parasitic "no win, no fee" litigation companies continuing to put a price on every stubbed toe, achy neck or wet fart they can get their hands on. It's greedy insurance companies hiking the premiums every time the lawyers get a win and a fee.
Political correctness is as exploitable as any other progressive ideal, but its aim is to stifle the incessant noise of those who flap their careless lips without a thought about those they might offend and why that might be important. PC exists to balance out the loudest voices, who assume that the things they are used to are somehow sacred or (God forbid) "traditional", just because no one's had the sense or the balls to change them. [/quote]
sounds about right to me
I don't agree.
Much 'PC' stuff is a complete waste of time and money.
Why does a hole a workman goes down now have to be called a personhole, and the workman has to become a workperson, etc.
What the hell is wrong with workman if you happen to be a man who works? If you are one of the tiny percentage of workman who happenes to be a woman then you can call yourself a workwoman and we all know where we stand.
For the most part, roadworkers etc are MEN..why is that bad?
>> Edited by hedders on Tuesday 24th May 10:03
Much 'PC' stuff is a complete waste of time and money.
Why does a hole a workman goes down now have to be called a personhole, and the workman has to become a workperson, etc.
What the hell is wrong with workman if you happen to be a man who works? If you are one of the tiny percentage of workman who happenes to be a woman then you can call yourself a workwoman and we all know where we stand.
For the most part, roadworkers etc are MEN..why is that bad?
>> Edited by hedders on Tuesday 24th May 10:03
Can someone define the term "progressive ideals" for me?
It is not "PCness" per se that i have a problem with (i couldn't honestly give a pinch of shit about the nomenclature of drainage access) its the habit of thought that being PC engenders that has me worried. Rather than thinking in a fair minded incisive intelligent way, PC enforces an unthinking reflex-like reaction to any given situation. It perpetuates stupidity and discourages independent thought. We no longer treat others how we ourselves would like to be treated, instead we behave to a narrowly defined set of PC ideals.........
It is not "PCness" per se that i have a problem with (i couldn't honestly give a pinch of shit about the nomenclature of drainage access) its the habit of thought that being PC engenders that has me worried. Rather than thinking in a fair minded incisive intelligent way, PC enforces an unthinking reflex-like reaction to any given situation. It perpetuates stupidity and discourages independent thought. We no longer treat others how we ourselves would like to be treated, instead we behave to a narrowly defined set of PC ideals.........
I don't agree with either stance.
Can't the worker just be called a worker? There's only one in this country anyhow. The rest are all worried about political correctness.
I believe France has been allocated one of the German workers, but there's a bit of a battle going on because eastern europe want one of Germany's workers too, and Germany only has two.
On the other hand China has quite a few workers, but percapita the proportion of workers in China is much lower, although rising.
Vote conservative, vote no nonsense.
Can't the worker just be called a worker? There's only one in this country anyhow. The rest are all worried about political correctness.
I believe France has been allocated one of the German workers, but there's a bit of a battle going on because eastern europe want one of Germany's workers too, and Germany only has two.
On the other hand China has quite a few workers, but percapita the proportion of workers in China is much lower, although rising.
Vote conservative, vote no nonsense.
MilnerR said:
It is not "PCness" per se that i have a problem with (i couldn't honestly give a pinch of shit about the nomenclature of drainage access) its the habit of thought that being PC engenders that has me worried. Rather than thinking in a fair minded incisive intelligent way, PC enforces an unthinking reflex-like reaction to any given situation. It perpetuates stupidity and discourages independent thought. We no longer treat others how we ourselves would like to be treated, instead we behave to a narrowly defined set of PC ideals.........
Summed up beautifully.
There is fair-minded, unbigoted thought and actions...and there is political correctness.
PC is shite. The former is something to be treasured and encouraged.
The Guardian has noticed the backlash against the Lunacy they promote so they produce articles such as the one above.
Common courtesy prevents the use of words that would cause offence. All the PC madness (which goes well beyond choices of words) is causing massive damage to this country.
Common courtesy prevents the use of words that would cause offence. All the PC madness (which goes well beyond choices of words) is causing massive damage to this country.
what about english flags - having to take them down so to not offend other nationalities. I mean, in the US it can be a bit ott, but at least we see they are proud of their country..
what about no pubs being allowed to extend their license on st.georges day, yet st paddys or any other bloody day gets them...
I understand what the article is saying, but I'm sure there are tons of examples of PC gone mad.
what about no pubs being allowed to extend their license on st.georges day, yet st paddys or any other bloody day gets them...
I understand what the article is saying, but I'm sure there are tons of examples of PC gone mad.
JagLover said:
The Guardian has noticed the backlash against the Lunacy they promote so they produce articles such as the one above.
Common courtesy prevents the use of words that would cause offence. All the PC madness (which goes well beyond choices of words) is causing massive damage to this country.
Here, here!
I'm not racist, sexist, or even a bigot...
I hate everyone equally
But seriously, the whole PC thing has gone too far. Teachers being threatened with the sack unless they call blackboards 'chalkboards'. (yet whiteboards are fine)
I'm all for equality, and agree with the article about the ambulance chasers, but this country has gone too 'Americanised', where anything can be considered offensive..
And whats wrong with being proud of being English? I ask you...
I hate everyone equally
But seriously, the whole PC thing has gone too far. Teachers being threatened with the sack unless they call blackboards 'chalkboards'. (yet whiteboards are fine)
I'm all for equality, and agree with the article about the ambulance chasers, but this country has gone too 'Americanised', where anything can be considered offensive..
And whats wrong with being proud of being English? I ask you...
I think the new BBC weather is unclear and unnecessary.
I think denying some of the great events of the past that shaped our land because of some perceived offence that might be caused is pathetic.
I think not being able to have a rational discussion about incredibly important issues such as Europe and immigration is ludicrous.
I think denying some of the great events of the past that shaped our land because of some perceived offence that might be caused is pathetic.
I think not being able to have a rational discussion about incredibly important issues such as Europe and immigration is ludicrous.
LOL
I could have written that Guardian piece ! In fact, I probably DID ! It looks like they've copied one of my posts !
I'm as loony left as you can get an have never called a manhole cover anything other than an effing manhole cover. I've never read anything remotely PC in The Guardian either.
It´doesn't exist outside the minds of the Daily Mailista. It's almost as funny as the "everyone discrimates against me 'cos I'm a white male bo11ox that the same people puke out.
LOVL
I could have written that Guardian piece ! In fact, I probably DID ! It looks like they've copied one of my posts !
I'm as loony left as you can get an have never called a manhole cover anything other than an effing manhole cover. I've never read anything remotely PC in The Guardian either.
It´doesn't exist outside the minds of the Daily Mailista. It's almost as funny as the "everyone discrimates against me 'cos I'm a white male bo11ox that the same people puke out.
LOVL
The Guardian exists in a world of hysterical extremes.
To them, you either run towards PC's every facet with arms wide open, or you're a closet Nazi.
I used to think I was a fairly centrist person and I used to (i still do) pride myself in being completely non-racist, non-sexist and non-homophobic.
I haven't changed, but the way the world seems to have become so ridiculously affected and petty, especially here at university (where concepts such as 'motoring' are politically incorrect), I appear right of Thatcher
To them, you either run towards PC's every facet with arms wide open, or you're a closet Nazi.
I used to think I was a fairly centrist person and I used to (i still do) pride myself in being completely non-racist, non-sexist and non-homophobic.
I haven't changed, but the way the world seems to have become so ridiculously affected and petty, especially here at university (where concepts such as 'motoring' are politically incorrect), I appear right of Thatcher
dilbert said:
Notably Manholes are bigger than Womanholes.
This is great for Workmen, because Workmen don't fit through Womanholes.
It's a f*****g 'ole, and don't let anyone tell you different.
I wish I were paid to go into Womanholes.
I'm not sure I'd want to go into Manholes though.
I think it's excellent that the enemy is displaying it's preturbance in this matter with such uncomfortable feather rustling.
W@nkers like this are precisely the sort of Daily Mail bashing goon who believe - with typical, liberalese arrogance - that only righteous folk of their Islingtonitesque ilk have the mandate to make definitive pronouncements upon the agenda for current, socio-demographic zeitgeists.
Well it seems that the game's up for these reactionary, hippified yobos.
The more that regular commentary veers further to the right and simply refuses to yield to these schoolteacher grade tirades against what is effectively, common sense and anti-anti-PC conspiracy theorists, the better.
You only have to consider the outrageously skewed employee demographic, ramapant within the BBC, to witness the reality of one's suspicions and the debunkment of their self-proclaimed but non-existant moderation in matters of social engineering.
Bollocks, what a dreadful rag is that thar Grauniwank.
W@nkers like this are precisely the sort of Daily Mail bashing goon who believe - with typical, liberalese arrogance - that only righteous folk of their Islingtonitesque ilk have the mandate to make definitive pronouncements upon the agenda for current, socio-demographic zeitgeists.
Well it seems that the game's up for these reactionary, hippified yobos.
The more that regular commentary veers further to the right and simply refuses to yield to these schoolteacher grade tirades against what is effectively, common sense and anti-anti-PC conspiracy theorists, the better.
You only have to consider the outrageously skewed employee demographic, ramapant within the BBC, to witness the reality of one's suspicions and the debunkment of their self-proclaimed but non-existant moderation in matters of social engineering.
Bollocks, what a dreadful rag is that thar Grauniwank.
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